The San Diego County Sheriff's Office Chaplain Program was established in 1995 to provide an additional resource of support for office employees and their families. Chaplains serve Sheriff's stations and offices across the county. Some of the chaplain's duties include, but are not limited to, providing counsel and comfort to employees and their families, invocations, helping with community concerns, providing critical incident assistance, and much more. Chaplains also get to participate in law enforcement activities such as patrol briefings and ride-along with deputies.

Link to Chaplain Program Brochure

Qualifications to join this impactful team include the following traits, skillsets, and requirements:

• Strong faith, great love, and concern for people.
• Sufficient education and training.
• Ecclesiastical Certification by a recognized religious body.
• Five years of ministerial experience.
• Current involvement in a ministry or religious organization in the county.
• A broad base of life and ministry experience.
• Demonstrable emotional stability and personal flexibility.
• A confident personality, an approachable spirit, and an amiable disposition.
• Genuine love, concern, and compassion for those in law enforcement.
• A willingness to invest in specialized training.
• A California license.
• No conviction of a felony or a criminal offense involving moral turpitude.
• Passing interviews with the Chaplain Personnel Director and Leadership Team.
• Passing an office background check.
• Be able to volunteer 8 hours a month for the program.

To learn more about the Sheriff's Chaplain Program, please send an email to SheriffChaplain@sdsheriff.org.

Requests from Families or Organizations

If family members or outside organizations wish to recommend a visit or provide specific religious materials to someone in custody, we encourage them to inform the individual to submit their Incarcerated Person Request Form to the facility’s Counseling Office. Our staff will review and support those needs through the established process.